Anadolu Agency's Morning Briefing – November 18, 2020
Daily briefing on novel coronavirus pandemic worldwide, Turkey, other developments
ANKARA
Anadolu Agency is here with a rundown of the latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic and other news in Turkey and around the world.
Coronavirus and other developments in Turkey
Health authorities in Turkey reported 3,819 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday, bringing the country's overall count to over 421,000. The death toll in Turkey reached 11,704 as 103 more people died of the virus.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey will impose partial weekend curfews to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. A curfew will be in effect this weekend and movement will be allowed between 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in an effort to avoid disrupting supply and production chains.
Turkey’s parliament officially approved the government's plan to deploy troops in Azerbaijan, which fought against occupying Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh until a Russia-brokered deal was reached on Nov. 10.
Devlet Bahceli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party, called for a two-state solution on the island of Cyprus, which is divided between Turkish and Greek Cypriots, saying calls for federalism on the island were "useless.”
Turkish intelligence "neutralized" a PKK terrorist in northern Iraq. Terrorist Irfan Can took part in 2015 incidents against the country's security forces which left police and army personnel martyred.
Turkey's counter-terrorism operations continued without a pause Tuesday as both FETO and Daesh/ISIS terror affiliates were arrested in multiple provinces. A total of five people suspected to be linked to Daesh/ISIS were arrested in Kocaeli province while 67 suspects of FETO, the terror group behind 2016's deadly coup attempt, were arrested in several provinces during an Istanbul-centered operation.
Another family joined the ongoing sit-in protest against the PKK terror group in Turkey's southeastern Diyarbakir province, demanding the return of their son abducted by the terror group.
The 670-year-old Imera Monastery was partially restored by Turkish authorities. With its gothic architecture, the monastery is among the most important structures of the eastern Black Sea region.
A fossil belonging to a mammoth was found in Turkey’s northwestern Edirne province after villagers came across bones in the area.
Global COVID-19 developments
Russia confirmed a record number of COVID-19 deaths and recoveries over the past 24 hours, at 442 and 22,055 respectively. The country’s overall case tally is the fifth highest in the world behind the US, India, Brazil, and France.
Spain's number of COVID-19 infections surpassed the 1.5 million mark Tuesday and the country reported its highest daily death toll since late April.
France could start COVID-19 vaccinations as early as the beginning of 2021 if a vaccine is deemed “effective and safe,” the country’s health minister said, adding the "health burden was extremely high" in the country as there were more patients in the hospital for COVID-19 than the first wave.
Deaths and infections rose as the second wave of COVID-19 gripped continental Europe, which is fighting against the virus with strict measures.
Iran registered 482 deaths and more than 13,000 new cases. All 31 provinces were declared red zones with a high risk of virus transmissions, according to the country's Health Ministry.
As COVID-19 continues to spread across the globe, scientists are working day and night to eradicate the virus threat once and for all. So far, 48 vaccine candidates are being tested on humans worldwide, with 164 in the phase of preclinical development, according to the WHO.
Other developments around globe
After Libya's warring parties reached a deal amid UN-sponsored talks to hold national polls, the country's premier welcomed the election consensus, saying the government would allocate funds for carrying polls out.
As Ethiopia's full-scale military operation against the Tigray People's Liberation Front continues, experts warn that the war has the potential to escalate.
Palestinians say the UAE-Israel normalization deal ignores their rights and does not serve the Palestinian cause.
A suicide bomber targeted a busy restaurant near Somalia’s police headquarters in the capital Mogadishu, killing five people including two soldiers.
According to an investigation carried out by an online magazine, the US military buys location data gathered from Muslim apps including Muslim Pro, which has been downloaded more than 98 million times worldwide.
The UN sent 14 truckloads of humanitarian aid to northern Syria. The supplies will be distributed among residents of Idlib province.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Turkey did not flout international law in the Karabakh conflict, noting Baku was reclaiming its territories and was within its rights to choose any advisers.
